The struggle of the working class in South Africa is a struggle against the slave bondage of capitalism and the state. Capitalism and the state are based on the ruling class minority (capitalists, generals, top officials, professional politicians) exploiting and oppressing the working class majority (workers of all grades, our families, rank and file soldiers, the unemployed, and the rural poor). The two classes have totally different interests: we are locked in class struggle.

"The Struggle of the Working Class Can't Be Ended Unless We Radically Change Society"

Tokologo African Anarchist Collective statement, Johannesburg, 2015

Published in TOKOLOGO: Newsletter of the Tokologo African Anarchist Collective # 5/6

AGAINST CAPITALISM AND THE BOSSES

The struggle of the working class in South Africa is a struggle against the slave bondage of capitalism and the state. Capitalism and the state are based on the ruling class minority (capitalists, generals, top officials, professional politicians) exploiting and oppressing the working class majority (workers of all grades, our families, rank and file soldiers, the unemployed, and the rural poor). The two classes have totally different interests: we are locked in class struggle.

APARTHEID BUILT CAPITALISM

Capitalism in South Africa was built through apartheid oppression: land dispossession, the compound system, migrant labour, the pass laws, and denial of basic worker and human rights to black workers.

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES

Apartheid was defeated by workers' struggle. But the legacy of apartheid lives on. It cannot be removed, unless we radically change society. The elections of 1994 did not remove the key cause of apartheid oppression, which is capitalist exploitation. The struggle must continue against both capitalism and racism: one enemy, one fight!

ONLY THE WORKING CLASS CAN FREE THE WORKING CLASS

Only revolution by the working class and poor can end the nightmare of racism and capitalism, creating freedom and equality for all. Only the workers and the poor can create a free society because only we have the organisational power, will, numbers and class interest in overthrowing this system.

AGAINST OPPRESSION AND DISCRIMINATION

We oppose all oppression: racism, sexism, imperialism, environmental destruction, discrimination against gays and lesbians. We are for real equality for all. Only the revolution by the working class and poor can end all oppression; only the fight against oppression and for working class power can unite the workers. Oppression and discrimination are against the interests of workers. They divide and weaken our struggle.

FREEDOM CANNOT COME FROM GOVERNMENT

Working class freedom cannot come through parliament or the seizure of state power. The state (judiciary, government bureaucracy, police force, parliament etc.) is a tool of capitalism, bosses and politicians. The use of the state can only lead to corruption, defeat or dictatorship over the workers' movement. The economic disaster and political tyranny of the Marxist-led Soviet Union shows this clearly.

INSTEAD: REVOLUTIONARY TRADE UNIONISM

Socialism must come from below, from mass action. The trade unions must take over the land and the factories and put them under direct workers control through a revolutionary general strike based on the occupation of workplaces. The workplaces should be run through workers' assemblies, committees and councils linked up across industries.

AND MOBILISE WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES

This must take place in alliance with organised community takeovers of municipal services and control, through neighbourhood assemblies, committees and councils, linked up across the towns and villages.

Together, the worker and community councils should plan, from the bottom-up, the economy, using the democratic workplaces to meet the needs of our communities, to improve our working conditions and incomes, and to create an environmentally sustainable society in which all people are treated equally.

TOMORROW IS BUILT TODAY

The seeds of the workers' and neighbourhood assemblies, committees and councils are to be found in today's unions and social movements. By ensuring that these movements are organised democratically and rely on struggle, and by educating the members in the revolutionary theory of anarchist-communism, we build tomorrow today through building "counterpower" and revolutionary "counterculture".

WORKERS OF THE WORLD - UNITE!

To be successful, the revolution must be based on a working class / poor movement united across colour, sex, and national lines. Capitalism is international, and therefore the revolution must be spread internationally by the working class.

We oppose all attempts to divide the masses by race, language, religion: black workers have nothing in common with the black members of the ruling class, white workers have nothing in common with the white members of the ruling class. But black, Coloured, Indian and white working class people have everything in common with each other.

INTERNATIONAL UNITY, ANARCHIST-COMMUNISM

The revolutionary general strike will establish a non-racial international working-class democracy: anarchist communism. This will be based on federations of grassroots workplace and community councils, and defended by a workers' militia.

We want a society without bosses, rulers and oppressors of any description. We want a democratic economy under the direct control of the working class. We are anti-authoritarian: the only limit on individual freedom should be that it does not remove the freedom of others.

AIMS OF THE TOKOLOGO AFRICAN ANARCHIST COLLECTIVE (TAAC)

The Tokologo African Anarchist Collective does not stand in elections or aim to take state power. The TAAC is not a trade union. The TAAC is a political organisation for militants who aim to encourage the self-activity and political consciousness of the mass of the people - the workers and the poor - so that they can make the revolution for themselves. Our role is to promote the struggle, but in the end, only the working class can free the working class! Tomorrow is built today.

We support all struggles against oppression. We support the progressive student movement. We support existing trade unions, but fight for workers control of the unions, a revolutionary programme of anarchist communism, and the formation of "One Big Union" uniting all workers. We oppose elections and we oppose social movements being used as voting cattle by politicians.

A FIGHTING TRADITION

We proudly stand in the mass tradition of anarchist- communism and syndicalism. Our movement has historically attracted millions worldwide, because it serves the needs of the workers and the poor, not the power-seekers and exploiters. Today it is growing across the globe.

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